A Night to Remember
by Jokester666
Summary: A certain Miss Granger is escorted by a unexpected guest to the Yule Ball which makes Ron's blood boil. Just a little 4th year fluff.


_But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light. 'Hermione, Neville's right – you are a girl…'_

'_Oh well spotted,' she said acidly._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"…_Someone has already asked me."_

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Ron kept going over and over what she said. Who would have asked Hermione? "Harry? Who do you think asked Hermione to the Ball?"

His best friend looked up at him, his expression mildly dazed, "Oh… um I don't know. She said no to Neville, so it's not him."

"Wouldn't be Seamus would it?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"He's going with Lavender." Harry replied before returning to writing his letter to Sirius.

"Dean?"

"A girl from Ravenclaw."

"Honestly, who would though? I mean she is a girl… but it's Hermione!"

"Ron! Just because you don't notice certain things doesn't mean other people don't." Ginny piped up from the next table over.

"I wasn't asking you." Ron snapped at her.

He returned to doodling on the side of his potions essay, now in a sour mood.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron stood in the mirror staring at his image. _This was the worst day of his life._

He had taken a shearing charm to his dress robes. They only looked moderately better. The cuffs and collar were frayed now and he tugged bits of string away. Why couldn't he have a normal pair of dress robes? He hated maroon… and yet his mother always picked out that dreadful colour for all his things.

Load of rubbish that's what this was.

Even Neville had nicer robes then he did.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So where's Hermione?" Ron asked Harry again, as they met up with Padma. She was just as pretty as her sister in turquoise. Padma had instantly given him the one over and he knew she was disappointed. He would have been too.

Then he saw her.

She was gorgeous.

Hermione looked… well she looked as un-Hermione-ish as could be. Her hair had been smoothed back and pinned in an elegant knot. Her robes were lovely. She looked so soft and feminine in the periwinkle blue fabric that flowed around her.

Why hadn't he asked her sooner?

Ron almost didn't notice her partner.

His jaw dropped.

Sleek and smooth in black velvet dress robes was Draco Malfoy.

The blonde ferret couldn't take his eyes off Hermione as he smiled down at her.

WHAT THE HELL.

Ron was furious. He couldn't even bear to look at the pair. Hermione Granger was going to the Yule Ball with Draco the ferret Malfoy!

He looked to point this out to Harry, but his best friend was already ushered over to the champions section. Even his date Padma was surprised.

"Hermione Granger with Draco Malfoy?" Padma wondered out loud. Lavender came rushing over, "Ohhh look! I wondered about that you know. He was stalking around the library for three weeks now. I heard Krum asked her out and she said no to him."

Padma gasped, "She said no to Viktor Krum? She must be mental!"

Lavender nodded excitedly. "Turns out she wanted someone else to ask her. Obviously must be Malfoy. Though I never would have pegged those two together… always thought Ronald Weasley would take her." The pair of girls glanced at Padma's date and giggled.

He scowled. This night was just going from bad to worse. He stiffly held out his arm for Padma to take as they entered the Great Hall. He couldn't even appreciate the wintery decorations with his mind on Hermione and Malfoy.

Harry looked confused as Ron passed him and his eyes trailed over to find Hermione. Harry looked even more dumbstruck then Ron had when he realized who her date was. They took their seats for dinner and Ron couldn't help himself. Between every savage bite of his steak he glanced over at Hermione's table where Draco was feeding her off his plate.

"That's just disgusting," Ron's expression darkened.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Draco smirked as he glanced over Hermione's shoulder at a fuming Ronald Weasley. "You have no idea how much I love the look on Weasley's face right now." He whispered to her.

Hermione giggled and glanced over his shoulder, "Oh dear. This is working deviously well isn't it?"

"Indeed it is." He glanced over to Pansy whose face looked like she had something terrible smelling under her nose.

"We are rather brilliant for hating each other publicly for so long." Draco murmured as he tucked a spare strand of hair behind her ear.

"Who would have guessed the amazing bouncing ferret would have asked me to the Yule Ball…" Hermione smiled, "Or that three weeks ago he would be stalking me in the library."

"Well I couldn't exactly just walk into your Common Room and say 'Hey Granger, wanna go to the Ball?'" Draco shook his head, "Plus I had to keep an eye on Krum. He's been mentioning you for the past 3 months! I had to beat him to the punch."

Hermione surprised herself as she trailed a finger along his jacket, "But you didn't. He did get there first. You're just lucky that I said no out of pure shock."

Draco sighed, "I suppose. But we Malfoys… we always get the best." He led her onto the dance floor, winking at Weasley who only glared back.

"So am I the best?" She asked him hesitantly as they waltzed slowly around the room.

"Always," He replied.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione sighed happily, the night was going splendidly. Draco could barely leave her side, mainly she suspected because Pansy Parkinson looked ready to pounce on him angrily at any moment. Ron also looked ready to burst at a single word. Harry was sitting next to him, with poor Padma looking bored and irritated about her date. Eventually she left the boys in search of her sister and never came back.

She felt bad that her two best friends were having the worst time at an event that was supposed to be fun, but then she remembered how Ron had decided that only a good looking girl would be his choice.

That girl wasn't her, otherwise he would have asked her right away… instead of a last resort.

Draco had returned with drinks and paused at the look on her face. "You okay?"

"I guess. I was just thinking about Ron and Harry."

His eyes drifted over to the boys and he snorted. "Is it because they can't be bothered to enjoy a proper social gathering? Pothead and Weasel really need to lighten up."

Hermione glared at him. "Really? Name calling? I hardly think that's appropriate! Are you going to start calling me mudblood too?"

"Hermione no!" Draco insisted. "I asked you as my date because you are perfect. You're intelligent and brave. I'm tired of being a name calling git. It's just that Potter and I will never see eye to eye. Weasley won't either. After all," He paused, "I did make the sensible choice and asked the perfect girl to the ball… he didn't and now he's sitting in the corner regretting it."

She didn't say anything; she just stared into the bottom of the drink he had brought.

"Please believe me." He said softly taking a seat beside her.

DRHGDRHG

That night she did believe him and now eight years later she stood in the gardens of Malfoy manor, wearing the most beautiful white dress she could ever imagine getting married to the most wonderful man she could ever have. Draco Malfoy.

"I now pronounce you man and wife; you may kiss your bride."

She barely heard the last part as Draco gently pulled her in for a kiss.


End file.
